Its the season of peace and goodwill, but a Victorian Christmas is no holiday for the worlds most popular detective in this new book from Bonnie MacBird, author of the bestselling Sherlock Holmes novel Art in the Blood. Its Christmastime in London, and Sherlock Holmes takes on two cases. The angelic three-year-old child of a wealthy couple is the target of a vicious kidnapper, and a country aristocrat worries that his handsome, favourite son has mysteriously vanished from his London pied a terre. Holmes and Watson, aided by the colourful Heffie OMalley, slip slide in the ice to ensure a merry Christmas is had by nearly everybody . . .

A celebration of all the weird and wonderful books to be found at an antiquarian bookshop. Books have the power to enrich the soul, to enliven the senses, to expand our horizons... and others are simply mad. This wonderful celebration of the oddest books ever published is a treat for all bibliophiles, booksellers and fans of the bizarre. It is an exploration of the most eccentric titles and covers from our past, that have inexplicably fallen out of print but should never be forgotten. Gems include: Scouts in Bondage Frog Raising for Pleasure and Profit Premature Burial and How It May Be Prevented Drummer Dicks Discharge

A SEARCH AND FIND BOOK Ever scrambled desperately around a shopping centre, train station or zoo in search of the facilities? Ever felt that every step you take is actually taking you an inch closer to squelchy humiliation? Re-live the experience from the comfort of your bathroom with this wonderful search and find book!

Mixing parody, literary criticism, profiles, satire, light verse, anagrams, AND social observation, Haywire gathers together the finest examples of Craig Brown's writing across the past fifteen years. From Mary Berrys Household Tips to Robert Macfarlanes poetic prose, from profiles of such diverse figures as Sigmund Freud, John Stonehouse and Katie Price to parodies of Jacob Rees-Mogg and Mary Beard, and from appreciations of the Marx Brothers and Les Dawson to essays on Brian Epstein and the slippery art of biography, Haywire contains a bumper selection of work by the writer described by The Sunday Times as our greatest living satirist. It features pieces drawn from publications as diverse as Private Eye, The Oldie, the New Statesman, Readers Digest, The New York Review of Books, Vanity Fair and the Daily Mail.

A book devoted to the fruits and vegetables of Italy and the dishes that celebrate them: the simple truth is that eating with the seasons is the tastiest way to eat and no one knows this better than the Italians. Stagioni will take us back to working with whats available and not seeking out what isnt and understanding that less really is more. In Italian "stagioni" translates to "seasons" and this book is devoted to the fruits and vegetables of Italy and the dishes that celebrate them. Forget the connotations attached to the word seasonal: the simple truth is that eating with the seasons is the tastiest way to eat and no one knows this better than the Italians. From the sweetest tomatoes of August, anointed only with the very best olive oil to the beautifully bitter radicchio arriving in October, its purple leaves pepping up risottos and hearty salads all winter long. With the change of season comes a change of appetite. In winter we crave steaming bowls of comforting soup and mountains of pasta to help fend off a chill. In summer, give us platters of crunchy vegetables and cones stacked high with ice cream. Stagioni will take us back to just that: to working with whats available and not seeking out what isnt and to understanding that, often, less really is more. Its about stripping things back, cooking simply and anticipating each new month for the beautiful bounty of produce that it brings. Whilst not strictly vegetarian you may find an anchovy (or three) here, a little pancetta there Stagioni focuses on the colourful variety of fruits and vegetables that mark each season, with a collection of recipes that put them at the centre of each dish; from vignarolla with whipped ricotta and romain braised artichokes to sticky pistachio lemon cake and amaretti peaches. Stagioni is here to inspire you to cook your way through the year as it comes. Whether youre cooking for one or a big gathering, there are recipes for every occasion, every person and every craving.

100 Symbols That Changed The World looks at the genesis and adoption of the worlds most recognizable symbols. Universal symbols have been used as a form of communication from the Bronze Age, when the dynasties of ancient Egypt began the evolution of the thousand characters used in Egyptian hieroglyphics. In pre-Columbian America the Mayan civilization set out on a similar course, using pictures as a narrative text. With the adoption of written languages, symbols have come to represent an illustrated shorthand. The dollar sign in America evolved from colonists trade with the Spanish, and the widespread acceptance of Spanish currency in deals. Merchants clerks would shorten the repeated entry of pesos in their accounts ledgers, which needed to be written with a p and an s. A single letter s with the vertical stroke of the p was much quicker. Historically correct dollar signs have a single stroke through the S. Symbols are also used to impart quick, recognizable safety advice. The radio activity symbol was designed in Berkley in 1946 to warn of the dangers of radioactive substances and following the widespread use of gas masks in WWII, the trefoil symbol echoed the shape of the mask. There are many symbols of affiliation, not only to religious groups, but support of political causes or even brand loyalty. Symbols are used for identification, military markings and recognition of compatibility. They allow users to convey a large amount of information in a short space, such as the iconography of maps or an electrical circuit diagram. Symbols are an essential part of the architecture of mathematics. And in the case of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics the first Games to be held in an Asian country symbols allowed the organizers to create event signage that wouldnt be lost in translation. The set of Olympic sports pictograms for the Games was a novel solution, and one that was added to in Mexico and Munich. Organized chronologically, 100 Symbols That Changed The World looks at the genesis and adoption of the worlds most recognizable symbols.

Meet Kitty Collins. FRIEND. LOVER. KILLER. Have you ever walked home at night, keys in hand, ready to throw a punch in self-defence? Thats how it all started. The killing spree, I mean. I sort of tripped into this role... Literally. The first one was following me. That guy from the nightclub who wouldnt leave me alone. I pushed him, he stumbled, and fell onto his own broken wine bottle. Oops. It was such a waste of a good house white. But now I cant seem to stop and nor do I want to... Ive got a taste for revenge and quite frankly, Im killing it. A deliciously dark, hilariously twisted story about friendship, love, and murder. Fans of My Sister the Serial Killer, How to Kill Your Family and Killing Eve will love this wickedly clever novel!

Agatha Christie meets Julie Caplin in this exciting new cosy crime series that captures the glamour of the 1930s and whisks you away to the most gorgeous escapist destinations! A lush French estate, a wedding, a mysterious murder...and a novice detective intent on solving her first case Fresh from teaching at her prestigious Swiss boarding school, Miss Atalanta Ashford suddenly finds herself the most eligible young lady in society when she inherits her grandfathers substantial fortune. But with this fortune and an elegant new Parisian home comes a legacy passed down from grandfather to granddaughter... sleuthing discreetly for Europes elite. This amateur detective isnt one to back down from a challenge and Miss Ashford must depend on her sharp wit and charm to solve her first case, which takes her to the lush lavender fields of Provence and a wedding at the mansion of the Comte de Surmonne. Now, as murder strikes twice, Atalanta will have to race to solve the case to stop the blushing bride from facing a fatal I do.

Increasing numbers of urban dwellers has led to many of us feeling alienated from the natural world. This is not how we are meant to live, and we dont have to. Even in the most built-up environment, nature makes its presence felt. All we have to do is let it in. This book offers 50 invigorating activities and step-by-step projects to do exactly that, for anyone craving a connection with the natural world, but especially those living in cities and towns with limited daily access to it. Green refuges and outdoor spaces are more important now than ever a break from our stressful, tech-consumed lives. It is well researched that being in nature radically improves our mental health, just minutes from your doorstep. Nature is waiting for us to discover it, even in the most urban environment. Go on a night safari, make a worm farm or create a one-pot allotment. With 200 smart illustrations, this practical and accessible guide will expand your horizons and increase your appreciation of wild spaces, whether on the street, in the park, or in nearby nature reserves.

Inspired by radical Italian designer Enzo Mari, this practical book with step-by-step DIY projects for hand built, beautiful furniture is a tribute to his simple ideas that challenged the consumerism of the furniture industry. Many interpreted Enzo Maris book Autoprogettazione? as a manifesto of nostalgic longing for a pre-capitalist society where people built what they needed themselves, but Maris goal wasnt to make people cease consuming. Mari wanted people to consider the more basic aspects of the objects we surround ourselves with and what it is that makes a piece of furniture, beautiful, comfortable and functional. Taking Enzo Mari and his book as his influence, Erik Eje Almqvist unpacks the practical aspects of the Autoprogettazione? theory, offering simple designs for handbuilt, beautiful furniture. Using just a hammer, nails and boards cut to standard dimensions, Hammer & Nail explores only a few techniques but arms the reader with skills and inspiration for life. With easy-to-follow instructions and diagrams, there are basic methods for making furniture joints, and includes tips on how to avoid cracking boards as you go, making clean cuts with a saw, and ideas on surface treatments.

Handy and inspirational tips and lists how to reduce plastic consumption, clean with eco-friendly products and working with the seasons to bring the outdoors inside. A beautifully produced book on interiors with a focus on sustainability and wellbeing and creating a home with the environment in mind. Inspiration and tips for creating a sustainable home without compromising on style. In The Sustainable Home, interiors writer and photographer Ida Magntorn shows how to create a harmonious, beautiful and functional home that is sustainable in the long run. Taking inspiration from real homes, and following the motto reuse, reduce, recycle Ida shares new ways to think when decorating combining low environmental impact with individual style.

Magic can take many forms, whether it be a desire, a wish, or a spell. It can even be a simple act of kindness for friends and family, and importantly for yourself too like a lovingly hand-made object, a comforting meal or a home-cooked gift. Many people are turning to alternative ways to find connection and meaning. Something as simple as, Are you ok? has great strength, power and empathy. Thoughtfulness is key and this book has kindness at the heart of its magic to create a more forgiving and considerate community. Curated into colour chapters, Sam takes a look at each colour and what it represents. The book brims full of magical spells, poems, charms, rituals, recipes, makes and wishes to create a helpful guide a comfort, a tonic something that is available to everyone, whether you feel like you are a witch or not.

A beautifully illustrated collection of some of the most amazing venues to host baseball games, from megastructures to local-ballparks-with-a-story. What started as Americas National Pastime is now a global phenomenon with multi-million dollar baseball leagues around the world and enough countries playing the game to warrant its inclusion in the 2020/1 Olympics. Remarkable Ballparks looks at the range of amazing places that host baseball games starting with the historic Wrigley Field rooftop grandstands, together with the home of the Green Monster, Fenway Park. In 1960, John Updike writing in the New Yorker described Fenway Park as: a lyric little bandbox of a ballpark". Then there are the mega-structures of the modern ballparks with retractable roofs to protect against weather: Torontos Rogers Centre and Seattles T-Mobile Park for rain, and Miamis Marlins Park for heat. Baseball is an American family tradition, extolled by the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown and its accompanying pitches, along with the movie site from Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa, which has fulfilled the prophecy: If you build it, they will come. Modern ballparks have introduced some remarkable features centerfield, including the mini arboretum at Coors Field and the Devil Rays tank at Tropicana Field. The Arizona Diamondbacks might have a swimming pool at Chase Field, but the MLB stadium cant match the waterpark ride at Friscos Dr. Pepper Stadium. The Modern Woodmen Ballpark in Davenport Iowa doesnt let a small matter like the Mississippi flooding stop play. After building perimeter flood barriers and walkways to the stadium, the ballpark has become an accessible island. Venturing abroad, Taipei and Tokyo have their own baseball domes, and in the Caribbean, the Minnesota Twins have opened a baseball academy in the Dominican Republic. Perhaps there is no more touching a story than the Gail S. Halvorsen Ballpark opened in Berlin in 2019. Lieutenant Halversen took part in the Berlin Airlift from 1948 to 1949 and became known as the Candy Bomber after dropping candy attached to parachutes for children gathered to watch the planes land. At age 98 he was invited back to the city for the naming of a baseball park in his name. A remarkable man and his ballpark.

The Van Life Cookbook goes beyond a collection of recipes that can be made on a two-ring gas hob. Its about an approach to cooking and eating that saves time and money, is good for the soul and makes the most of your immediate environment. Chef Danny Jack and Hailee Kukura have travelled around the UK in their self-build campervan rediscovering the simple pleasures of a life spent in the great outdoors. In this book they have captured their passion for adventure and good food and distilled them into over 80 campervan-friendly dishes, sharing their knowledge on foraging, cooking over open fires and making the most of what nature has to offer. Covering comforting breakfasts, quick-fix lunches and fireside feasts this cookbook features delicious, accessible recipes to get you through the day think Tahini porridge and Turkish one pan eggs, to Winter Greens minestrone, BBQ fish parcels, and homemade trail mix all complete with kitchen hacks and chef tips. From campervans, to canal boats and cabins this book is a celebration of the unexpected opportunities that modest spaces and smaller budgets can offer.

Travel is an intrinsic part of many of our lives. The places we visit and the experiences we have become part of our identity. Today, we are increasingly aware of the negative impacts our travel can have, and a cultural shift towards living more consciously and responsibly means many of us are reassessing our travel priorities. The knowledge that air travel is bad for the environment isnt new, but it has long been considered a necessary evil. Fortunately, in this new carbon-conscious era, consumer demand is seeing real change in the industry. New, faster and more comfortable rail and ferry services are making cross-continental travel easy and enjoyable, while many hotels and tour operators are improving their credentials and actively facilitating local conservation and community projects. With so many factors to consider and so much greenwashing to avoid, travellers need a knowledgeable guide to lead them through the issues and inspire them with practical ideas and itineraries.

The Kent coastal strip of Dungeness is a unique environment. Harshly vulnerable to the elements yet protected from inland development, it has enticed many architects, artists, photographers and creative thinkers, including of course renowned artist and film-maker Derek Jarman. Its exposed position makes it an extreme place a viewing station for the shifting sea, the passing clouds and the changing seasons. Design writer Dominic Bradbury is your guide to this border landscape both natural and manmade, from shingle beaches to black houses. Dungeness is a crucible for exciting architecture; the local vernacular includes fishermens cottages, lighthouses and ex-industrial structures. This mix has attracted leading architects including Rodic Davidson, Fiona Naylor and Brian Johnson, Simon Conder, Guy Holloway and others to complete projects in the area. The book includes sixteen stunning case studies of homes both converted from non-domestic buildings and exciting new builds.

A colourful, illustrated celebration of wild plants around the world, and why we should love them not loathe them, with 50 graphic illustrations by Paul Farrell. To call a plant a weed is doing it a real injustice. Its simply a wild plant that is not deliberately cultivated, growing where it is not wanted. By this definition, virtually any plant outside a carefully tended garden is a weed. The intolerance of weeds is a mark of how we have turned our backs on nature and urbanized our land and lives. In this enlightening survey, illustrator Paul Farrell uncovers the wild beauty in weeds and explains the benefits of rewilding ourselves a little. Weeds can be medicine, food, and an important aid for wildlife. One persons weed is anothers wild beauty. Pauls brilliant modernist illustration style shows us dandelions, thistles and feverfew in a whole new light. Each of the 50 weeds featured is accompanied by a quirky history and its uses in medicine, cooking, arts and even industry.

In this book, Sharon Amos explains how to design and create a beautiful garden for little or no money, offering tips on bartering for clippings, getting a bargain at garage sales or neighbourhood fairs, digging up suckers or adapting wild species and controlling them in a garden environment. She provides a comprehensive directory of 80 plants including detailed advice on where and how to grow a wide variety of garden favourites, from snowdrops to poppies. With beautiful illustrations, Plants for Free is the perfect gift book for cultivating your garden on a budget of next-to-nothing.

Christmas passion in Manhattan! Alex da Costa doesnt trust anyone. Yet he cannot deny the attraction when he meets sweet, innocent Ellie. Keeping her at arms length could prove impossible when the fling they embark on unwraps the most intimate of secrets...

St Aidan: a cosy Cornish village where friendships are made for life and its always cocktail hour somewhere... A clean slate in the worlds cosiest cottage by the sea... When Gwen Starkey and her best friend, Stella Simpson, arrive in St Aidan to take on a cottage renovation, its the fresh start they both so desperately need. But when their new adventure begins with them unintentionally breaking into their neighbour, Ollie Lancasters cottage thinking its their new home and Gwen accidentally flashing the gorgeous Ollie before they flee, the life-long friends realise that life in Cornwall is going to be anything but quiet! They also quickly discover that theyre in over their heads and its going to take a village to turn their cottages narrow walls into the luxurious hideaway of their dreams. St Aidan is full of colourful characters just waiting to welcome them, if only Gwen and Stella can find the courage to start leaving the past behind them...

The long-awaited diary from Whitehalls most scandalous MP... From Brexit to Covid, parties to pig culling, the Conservative government has lurched from crisis to crisis. With a front-row seat on the, erm, backbenches, the Secret Tory MP has picked up on all the petty rivalries, bad decision-making and scandalous affairs that Whitehall has to offer. And hes got no qualms about sharing it. All. Join the mystery MP as he drunk-texts Liz Truss after a crate of WKD, accompanies Jacob Rees-Mogg (and his kids) to picket a foodbank, takes on the French in the Trawler Wars, and euthanises Rishi Sunaks dog and thats just October. The Diary of a Secret Tory MP is an outrageous spoof of the classic political journal that pulls back the Lulu Lytle curtains to expose extraordinary goings-on at Westminster across a tumultuous twelve months.